1. The homecoming

Nice to see the big, long ceremony for Jarome Iginla, who deserved bigger and longer if anything. If that standing ovation before the game lasted all night and they didn't play the game, that might have been fitting. You really can't say enough good things.

But as to the game itself, it couldn't have ended more Flames-ily. Calgary dominated most of the game in terms of possession, which you wouldn't think would be the case even against a Bruins lineup depleted heavily by injury and suspension. They ran it for the first 40 minutes but even still couldn't sneak more than one past Tuukka Rask, which I guess is par for the course given that he is the best goaltender alive.

Then there's the two goals against less than two minutes apart in the third period, and you have to say it was inevitable. Score effects and all that, maybe, but Boston had nine shots on goal in the first two periods and then 15 in the last one. Calgary, meanwhile, had just five. Shelling up against a team like the Bruins, when you're as bad as the Flames, is not going to be a good idea.

In the end I guess everyone got what they wanted, though, didn't they. The result never really seemed to have mattered for Flames fans, because losing to the Bruins was always in the cards. Everyone just wanted to clap for Iginla again, and they got to do it, and the Flames kept it respectable. Had it been a blowout, everyone might have had a different opinion, but this was the best possible outcome. Perhaps the only logical one.

It's two more wasted points, but the Flames can't put a price on that given that third-star celebration.

2. Some stuff on Hudler

Jiri Hudler was, of course, the only Flame to score in the game, and it really must be said how good he's been this season. Obviously he's received the benefit of some very selective deployment from Bob Hartley, but he's also using it more effectively than anyone else on the roster who is receiving similar treatment.

The fact of the matter is he has almost double the points of anyone else on the roster, and that's pretty amazing if you think about it. You have to think that he'll come back to earth a little bit, given that he's shooting 18 percent right now and his shot volume isn't all that considerable, but nonetheless, credit where it's due. He's been pretty impressive.

And on that front...

3. When does the sell-off start?

It was recently revealed that, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Flames would indeed adopt Brian Burke's silly self-imposed pre-Christmas transaction freeze. Because it's occasionally shrouded in some amount of secrecy, it might actually be in effect already.

Hudler is a guy you'd like to hope would be made available after this freeze period comes to an end (because you're essentially never going to have him carry this high a trade value again) and if you can get rid of a 30-year-old with two-plus seasons left on his deal in exchange for some quality prospects or picks, doing so would be extremely judicious. With the cap about to skyrocket, any team that can squeeze him in at what would be a prorated $2.25 million or so as of mid-January might be more willing to take on a contract that is, frankly, not all that great going forward.

This is also true of Mike Cammalleri, who's been producing well enough given the circumstances, and best of all is a UFA this summer. The high price tag probably pushes back the date on which he becomes a tradable asset, but that's not so much the case with Matt Stajan or Lee Stempniak.

In recent weeks it seems more like maybe they shouldn't try to move anyone from the back end, but if they don't move at least two of the above-mentioned forwards, it would be shocking and, of course, idiotic.

4. Some recent success

With that having been said, it is important to note that until that Bruins game, which most observers reasonable and otherwise had written off as a loss long before it happened, that the Flames had won three of four, and really kept the goals against down in the process. Maybe that's just percentages balancing out because you can't go giving up three-plus forever, and certainly the scoring still isn't there at all (11 goals in the last five games) but it's not nothing, especially because two of those teams were the Kings and the Coyotes.

(Here's where I note, by the way, that this is counterproductive to what the Flames should be trying to do and you all get mad at me, but this is counterproductive to what the Flames should be trying to do. They're currently fifth from the bottom. They need to get lower. Period.)

5. Not that it has anything to do with the Flames, but...

I found this Boston Globe story on the way the NHL's Department of Player Safety works to be very interesting indeed.

Getting to look under the hood at the process, which involves emailing like a dozen people a brief summary of every incident league-wide that could rise to the level of supplementary discipline, was fascinating. This quote from Brendan Shanahan also really piqued my interest:

“I just think it’s a hard thing to change a culture even when the players ultimately want that culture changed.”

Fighting and so on is of course a thing the players do not want changed, but the idea that you have to deprogram veterans from trying to murder each other with headshots is so strange to me.

Also - Don't Forget to get your Gaudfather and GRITCHART Shirts

As mentioned when we launched these puppies, both the Gaudfather and Gritchart shirt options will be around for a limited time only. We're approaching the last few days of availability before these two designs go away for along time (like, forever). So snag 'em now if you haven't already.

Yer ol' buddy Lambert is handsome and great and everyone loves him. Also you can visit his regular blog at The Two-Line Pass or follow him on Twitter. Lucky you!

Stats wise, Kris Russel is the d-version of Hudler. Vastly outperforming his partners. Surprisingly, quietly, David Jones has solid numbers as well. Keeping in mind that I value plus/minus as a gross and relative measure. Sheltering or otherwise.

yeah jeeze, out of Hudler, Cammalleri, Stajan, and Stempniak, I'm not sure anyone except Cammalleri gets traded. I have to think Cammalleri will want a chance to play for a contender.

Realistically though, trading them all now means the bottom will really fall out for a few more years. Stempniak (and Stajan and Hudler) are all useful middle tier players, that are excellent and reasonably priced, and not easily replaceable.

I would be of the preference to Keep Hudler and Russell, thats if they want to stay.
Also keep possibly Stemp depending on how along a younger player is ready to step up yet and what the return would be.

Cammy, Stajan, Butler, O'Brien all gone please. Im on the fence with Galliardi.

The flames don't have a lot of depth at winger positions. The only young guy that is really ready to take over would be Sven, maybe move corban Knight to a wing, but he needs some time to season in the minors or sheltered min in the NHL.

I'm not a fan of having a fire sale and plugging in unseasoned rookies or unqualified vets.

If we trade Cammy, Hudler, and Stajan what would our lines look like?
it's all fine and dandy to say plug in Max Reinhart, or corban knight, or Ferland, or whomever but they need to earn their spots by beating out NHL players. The young guys need to earn the right to play in the NHL. Right now they haven't shown that they can play consistently in the NHL so they shouldn't.

I believe it would be a mistake to reduce the amount of competition within the flames system. Competition keeps the players honest and hard working. It's the foundation to creating a winning atmosphere.

Flames may have to keep Hulder just for his cap hit. With the cap rising and the club running out of high budget players, they may be left scrambling just to fulfill the cap floor next season.

with Burke taking off his cloak of invisibility and stepping to the front like we all expected him to do at some point, I now quite worrying about spending to the cap and instead worry about bringing in expensive UFA's to contend for 8th place.

I really see this as a continuation of the ownership, who made it clear that Feaster's mandate was to "go for it now" which led to the Flames keeping Iginla and Kipper long past their best trade value.